Northern Ireland Statutory Rule SI 2005 Northern Ireland

Work at Height Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005

Read it on legislation.gov.uk (opens in a new tab)
Enforced by
HSENI
Status
In Force
Penalty ceiling
Imprisonment 15 of 21 obligations carry up to 2 years imprisonment. 6 have no criminal penalty — flagged in the list below.

Does it bind you?

Business-side roles with duties under this instrument.

Employer16 Any Person4 Self-Employed Person1

Other Acts binding the same actors

If a role above is yours, these are the other instruments that most often bind it.

Employer — also bound by 682 other Acts
TULRCA 1992 72 duties
Any Person — also bound by 2340 other Acts
Self-Employed Person — also bound by 80 other Acts

What it requires

Regulations creating concrete business duties or carrying penalties, grouped as the instrument is structured. Titles link to the source text — blue means you’re leaving for legislation.gov.uk.

s.004 Organisation and planning (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Properly plan and supervise all work at heightEmployer
s.005 Competence (opens in a new tab) Regulated
  • Ensure only competent staff work at heightEmployer
s.006 Avoidance of risks from work at height (opens in a new tab) Regulated
  • Avoid or safely manage work at heightEmployer
s.007 Selection of work equipment for work at height (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Select appropriate equipment for work at heightEmployer
s.008 Dock Operations Regulated
  • Comply with safety requirements for dock operations at heightEmployer
s.008 Requirements for particular work equipment (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Ensure work at height equipment meets specific safety standardsEmployer
s.009 Fragile surfaces (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Prevent falls through or near fragile surfacesEmployer
s.010 Falling objects (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Prevent injuries from falling objects and secure stored materialsEmployer
s.011 Danger areas (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Secure and mark danger areas where people or objects could fallEmployer
s.012 Inspection of work equipment (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Inspect work at height equipment and maintain safety recordsEmployer
s.013 Inspection of places of work at height (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Check fall protection and surfaces before working at heightEmployer
s.014 Special provision in relation to caving and climbing Imprisonment
  • Maintain equivalent safety levels for caving or climbing instructionSelf-Employed Person
s.014 Duties of persons at work (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Use height safety equipment correctly and report any dangersAny Person
17 other provisions — procedural and definitional
sch. 4 para. 1 Additional requirements for scaffolding
sch. 4 para. 2 Additional requirements for scaffolding
sch. 4 para. 3 Stability of supporting structure
sch. 4 para. 4 Stability of working platforms
sch. 4 para. 5 Safety on working platforms
sch. 4 para. 6 Loading
sch. 6 para. 1 sch. 6 para. 1
sch. 6 para. 2 sch. 6 para. 2
sch. 6 para. 3 sch. 6 para. 3
s.001 Citation and commencement (opens in a new tab)
s.002 Interpretation (opens in a new tab)
s.003 Application (opens in a new tab)
s.015 Exemption by the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (opens in a new tab)
s.016 Exemption by the Secretary of State for Defence (opens in a new tab)
s.017 Amendment of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999 (opens in a new tab)
s.018 Repeal of section 25 of the Factories Act (Northern Ireland) 1965 (opens in a new tab)
s.019 Revocations (opens in a new tab)
Schedules

Schedules

8 of 47 shown
s.002 REQUIREMENTS FOR EXISTING PLACES OF WORK AND MEANS OF ACCESS OR EGRESS AT HEIGHT (opens in a new tab) Regulated
  • Ensure work at height platforms and access points are safe and stableEmployer
s.005 REQUIREMENTS FOR COLLECTIVE SAFEGUARDS FOR ARRESTING FALLS (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Ensure safety and training when using collective fall arrest equipmentEmployer
s.007 REQUIREMENTS FOR LADDERS (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Follow strict safety requirements when using laddersEmployer
s.010 REQUIREMENTS FOR WORK IN DOCKS (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Install secure guardrails at dangerous edges in dock areasEmployer
s.sch003 REQUIREMENTS FOR GUARD-RAILS, TOE-BOARDS, BARRIERS AND SIMILAR COLLECTIVE MEANS OF PROTECTION (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Ensure guard-rails and barriers meet safety and height standardsAny Person
s.sch005 A safeguard shall be used only if – Regulated
  • Only use safeguards after risk assessment and trainingAny Person
s.sch006 REQUIREMENTS FOR PERSONAL FALL PROTECTION SYSTEMS (opens in a new tab) Imprisonment
  • Ensuring safety of personal fall protection systemsAny Person
s.sch007 Every employer shall ensure that a ladder is used for... Regulated
  • Only use ladders when risk assessment shows low risk and short duration or site constraintsEmployer
39 other schedules
s.001 PREMISES AND ACTIVITIES WITHIN THE TERRITORIAL SEA (opens in a new tab)
s.008 PARTICULARS TO BE INCLUDED IN A REPORT OF INSPECTION (opens in a new tab)
s.sch001 Interpretation
s.sch001 Offshore installations
s.sch001 Wells
s.sch001 Pipelines
s.sch001 Mines
s.sch001 Other activities
s.sch003 Any reference in this Schedule to means of protection is...
s.sch003 Means of protection shall – (a) be of sufficient dimensions,...
s.sch003 In relation to work at height involved in construction work...
s.sch003 Any structure or part of a structure which supports means...
s.sch003 (1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2), there shall not be a...
s.sch004 REQUIREMENTS FOR WORKING PLATFORMS (opens in a new tab)
s.sch005 Any reference in this Schedule to a safeguard is to...
s.sch005 A safeguard shall be suitable and of sufficient strength to...
s.sch005 A safeguard shall – (a) in the case of a...
s.sch005 Suitable and sufficient steps shall be taken to ensure, so...
s.sch006 Suitable and sufficient steps shall be taken to prevent any...
s.sch007 Every ladder shall be used in such a way that...
s.sch007 Any surface upon which a ladder rests shall be stable,...
s.sch007 A ladder shall be so positioned as to ensure its...
s.sch007 A suspended ladder shall be attached in a secure manner...
s.sch007 A portable ladder shall be prevented from slipping during use...
s.sch007 A ladder used for access shall be long enough to...
s.sch007 No interlocking or extension ladder shall be used unless its...
s.sch007 A mobile ladder shall be prevented from moving before it...
s.sch007 Where a ladder or run of ladders rises a vertical...
s.sch008 The name and address of the person for whom the...
s.sch008 The location of the work equipment inspected.
s.sch008 A description of the work equipment inspected.
s.sch008 The date and time of the inspection.
s.sch008 Details of any matter identified that could give rise to...
s.sch008 Details of any action taken as a result of any...
s.sch008 Details of any further action considered necessary.
s.sch008 The name and position of the person making the report....
s.sch009 REVOCATIONS (opens in a new tab)
s.sch010 In relation to work at height where people are engaged...
s.sch010 In this Schedule— “dock gate” means any lock gate or...

Help complying

Guvnor’s practical routes through this instrument.

Starting a business in Northern Ireland

Complete guide to NI-specific requirements when starting a business. Covers devolved differences in employment law, business rates, planning, health and safety, and …

Quick check: Northern Ireland-specific requirements

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Responding to an HSENI investigation

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Starting a regulated business in Northern Ireland

A guided learning path for businesses in Northern Ireland that operate in regulated sectors. Covers the three key NI-specific regulators — HSENI, …

Northern Ireland workplace safety quick check

Quick checklist for employers in Northern Ireland to verify HSENI compliance. Covers risk assessments, employers' liability insurance, RIDDOR NI reporting, competent person …
2 more guides that reference this instrument
Understanding HSENI: how workplace safety regulation works in Northern Ireland Workplace health and safety in Northern Ireland: HSENI obligations

Duty extraction and severity labels are Guvnor’s analysis of the instrument, not the instrument itself. Always verify against the linked source text.